Europa League: West Ham bank on Bowen to turn tables on Bayer Leverkusen

Jarrod Bowen appears to be on track to recover from his hip injury in time for West Ham's crucial Europa League clash against Bayer Leverkusen. The top scorer missed the first leg of the quarter-final, as well as a recent Premier League match against Fulham, but returned to training on Wednesday, raising hopes for his availability against Leverkusen.

Manager David Moyes expressed optimism about Bowen's potential return, highlighting his significant contribution to the team's success this season. The news comes as a major boost for West Ham as they aim to overturn their first-leg deficit and hand Leverkusen their first defeat of the season under Xabi Alonso's management.

However, West Ham will be without key midfielder Lucas Paqueta due to suspension, adding to the challenge of facing Leverkusen. Moyes emphasized the importance of finding ways to compensate for the absence of key players like Paqueta while leveraging the return of Bowen to boost the team's morale.

With Leverkusen celebrating their historic Bundesliga title win, Moyes hopes their recent festivities might impact their performance in the upcoming match. Leverkusen coach Alonso, meanwhile, has set ambitious goals for his team, aiming for further success in the German Cup and Europa League after their league triumph.

West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski drew confidence from past comeback experiences, including a memorable match against Tottenham in 2020, and believes the team's resilience will be crucial in facing Leverkusen.

As both teams gear up for a decisive showdown, the stage is set for an exciting clash with high stakes in the Europa League quarter-finals.